Automatic telephone system



Jan. 14, 1930. R. F. GOULD 1,743,130

AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE SYSTEM Filed Au 15, 1925 2 Sheets-Shee 1' -IW E057 F EUuZEZ Jan. 14, 1930. R. F. GOULD 1,743,130

- AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE SYSTEM 7 Filed Aug. 1 3 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MA/Fi/l/AZ Patented Jan. 14, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROY F. GOULD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, 'BY'MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO AUTO- MATIC ELECTRIC INC., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE SYSTEM Application filed August 13, 1925.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic telephone systems, in which a toll recording switchboard and toll switchboard are employed in an automatic main exchange for handling long distance, ordinary toll, and express toll calls. In such systems, certain of the trunks extend from a level of the first selectors in the main exchange to the toll recording switchboard where the recording operator receives all toll and long distance calls. Some of the toll calls received will be so called express toll calls, in which the calling subscriber merely gives the name of the desired distant exchange or city and does not give the name or the number of the desired party in the first instance.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved toll recording trunk .circuit for handling ordinary toll calls and express toll calls of the kind described above. This is accomplished preferably by providing means for transferring incoming calls at either regular or night toll recording positions to the toll board for express toll service.

A feature of theinvention is to provide means for locking out the recording operator when a call is transferred to the toll board.

Another feature is the furnishing of talking battery from the toll recording trunk circuit when such circuit is used for recording service, and the switching to toll cordbattery feed and supervision when the trunk circuit is used for toll service.

Still another feature lies in the arrange ment of the toll recording trunk circuit to prevent re-occurr'ence of the signal at the re cording position when the toll plug is removed before the calling subscriber releases.

By the present invention a calling subscriber, upon initiating a call by removing the receiver from the hook, operates his individual line switch to select an idle trunk terminating in a selector switch and then dials the number of the toll recording operator whereupon an idle trunk is selected extending to the recording switchboard. Upon the seizure of this trunk a signal is displayed upon the switchboard to indicate to the operator that a connection is desired. The oper- Serial No. 49,912.

ator then plugs in, converses with the calling subscriber and secures the necessary data-respecting the wanted number or connection. If the calling subscriber desireslong distance or ordinary toll service the recording operator makes out a ticket .and'the call is handled in the well known manner. If the calling subscriber desires express toll service, however, he gives the name of the town or city desired, whereupon the recording operator depresses a non-locking transfer key which lights the answering lamp at thetoll operators position. The toll operator plugs in, converses with the calling subscriber, is in formed as to the wanted number, plugs into an idle outgoing trunkto the desired town, and dials up the desired connection, the meantime making out a ticket to properly record the call. V

The invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, of which 1, is a circuit diagram of the recording operators trunk circuit; while Fig. 2, is a circuit diagram of the toll operators cord circuit.

Referring to Fig. 1, the recording operators trunk .circuit consists of a group of relays at the left of the drawing, together with keys K, K K K and lamp L at the regular recording position and keys K K and lamp L .at the night position. The trunk extends to a toll position and terminates in the jack J, the latter having associated with. it the answering lamp L as shown at the extreme right of the drawing.

Referring to Fig. 2, thetolloperators cord circuit consists of the various relays asshown, plugs P and P lamps L and L and keys Ti -K inclusive. The plug P of the cord circuit is adapted to beinserted into jacks, such as J of outgoing trunks, asshown at the extreme right of the drawing.

Having described the equipment and the. apparatus in general, a more detailed description of the various operations will be given. For this purpose, it will be assumed that an automatic subscriber in the main exchange desires to obtain connection with an auto,- matic subscriber in a distant exchange,;f.or which a toll charge is made,:'and which is handled by the express toll operator. The customary subscribers station, individual line switch, and selector switch as used by an automatic subscriber in completing a connection are not shown but are well understood by those skilled in the art and form no part of the present invention. It will therefore suflice to say that in response to the removal of the receiver by the calling subscriber, his individual line switch seizes an idle trunk line leading to an idle selector switch, and in response to the operation of the subscribers calling device, the selector switch is operated to select an idle trunk line leading to a recording operat-ors position.

Let it be assumed that the calling subscriber has established his connection as far as the selector, and that the selector has come to rest on bank contacts connected to the conductors 20, 21, and 22 of the recording opera-tors trunk circuit shown in Fig. 1, this being the first idle trunk circuit accessible to the said selector. When the selector switch comes to rest upon the contacts associated with the conductors 20, 21, and 22, the switching relay of the selector completes an energizing circuit for the line relay 24 of the trunk circuit which may be traced from ground, upper winding of relay 24, armature 29and its resting contact, line conductor 20, over the calling subscribers loop and back to line conductor 21, resting contact and armature 30, and lower winding of relay 24 to battery. Relay 24, upon energizing, connects interupted generator INT. to the negative side of the trunk line at armature 32 and its working contact by way of armature 40 and its resting contact togive the calling party a ringing tone; and closes a circuit for slow acting relay 26 at armature 31 and its working contact. Relay 26, upon energizing, places ground upon the private conductor 22 at armature 36 and its working contact to hold the preceding automatic switches in operated, position; and closes a circuit for answering lamp L which may be traced from ground, working contact and armature 37 armature 39 and its resting contact, resting contact and spring 51 of thenight-busy key K spring 53 and its resting contact of the night switching key K resting contact and spring of the night-busy key K and lamp L to battery, The recording operator upon observing the lighted condition of lamp L operates the answering key K to the left which connects her headset 0 to the trunk conductors 20 and 21 by way of condensers, and arma-tures 29 and 30 and their resting contacts of relay 23; and closes a circuit for relay 28 at spring 55 and its working contact. Relay 28, upon energizing, closes a locking circuit for itself at armature 39 and its working contact by way of armature 37 and its working contact to ground; opens the circuit of answering lamp L at this same armature which extinguishes same; and disconnects the ringing tone at armature 40. The recording operator now converses with the calling subscriber, receives the order for express toll service, and presses the non-locking transfer key K thereby lighting the lamp L at the toll operators position, and closing a circuit for relay 27 Relay 27, upon energizing, closes a locking circuit for itself at armature 38 which may be traced from ground, working contact and armature 37, working contact and armature 38, armature 33 and its resting contact, and relay 27 to battery. When the toll operator answers by inserting the plug P of the cord circuit, Fig. 2, in the answering jack J, a circuit is closed for relay 25 which may be traced from ground,spring 117 and its resting contact at key K resting contact and spring 116 of polarized relay 103, armature 115 and its resting contact, resting contact and armature 112, upper winding of relay 101, sleeve or plug P and jack J, and relay 25 to battery. Relay 25, upon energizing, opens the circuit of relay 27 at armature 33 allowing said relay to deenergize; at the same armature opens the circuit of lamp L extinguishing same; supplements the ground to relay 26 at armature 35 and its working contact; and closes a circuit for relay 23 at armature 34 and its working contact; Relay 23, upon energizing, disconnects the tip and ring conductors of the trunk from answering key K of the recording position and battery feed relay 24, thus preventing interference by the recording operator. Re-

lay 24 deenergizes but the connection is held up by relay 26 under control of the toll operator as will be explained hereinafter.

lVhen the toll operator inserted the plug P in the jack J, the cut-off relay 101 of the answering cord energized in series with relay 25 of the trunk circuit. Relay 101-,upon energizing, opens the ground shunt circuit of relay 102, at armature 112 and as a result this relay energizes and closes a circuit at armature 115 for supervisory lamp L which may be traced from ground, spring 117 and its resting contact of key K resting contact and spring 116 of polarized relay 103, armature 115 and its working contact, andlamp L to battery. As a further result of the energization of relay 101, it places negative and positive battery across the trunk through its armatures 113 and 114 and their working contacts and the windings of relay 103, which circuit may be traced from ground, lower winding of relay 101, working contact and armature 114, right-hand winding of the polarized relay 103, normally closed contacts controlled by spring 119 of key K resting contact and spring 111 of key K ring of plug P and jack J, line conductor 20 over the subscribers loop and back to line conductor 21, tip of jack J and plug P, spring 110 and its resting contact of key K normally closed contacts controlled by spring 118 of key K left-hand winding of polarized relay 103, armature 113 and its working contact, and lower winding of relay 102 to battery. The polarized relay 103 energizes in this circuit including the calling subscribers transmitter and receiver, and

operates the spring 116 away from its contact to open the circuit of and extinguish the lamp L It may be well to explain here that the polarized relay 103 will not energize in the circuit with relay 24 when the plug is inserted in the j ack as the current is in the wrong direction, and besides the relay 2 1 is doubtless disconnected from the trunk due to the sleeve of the plug and jack making contact before the tips and rings make contact. The toll operator now throws her listening key K to connect her head set 0 across the trunk and converse with the calling subscriber and secure the desired distant automatic number, whereupon she makes out a ticket to properly record the call and inserts the plug P of the calling cord into the jack J of an idle outgoing trunk terminating in an incoming selector at the desired exchange. \Vhen the plug P is inserted in the jack J acircuit is closed for polarized relay 105, including the line relay of the selector at the distant exchange. Polarized relay 105, however, will not energize in this circuit as the current is not in the right direction and it therefore merely serves as a holding circuit for the selector line relay. Relays 107 and 106 will not energize at this time over the sleeve conductor due to the high resistance of the outgoing trunk sleeve relay 108 and shunt at the call cord calling device key K respectively. The toll operator now throws the call cord calling device key K thereby connecting the calling device (11). and impedance coil 104 across the trunk and removing the shunt from relay 106 allowing same to energize over the sleeve conductor and prepare a circuit for supervisory lamp L The operator now dials up the connection in the well known manner and re stores the calling device and listening keys, the former closing a circuit at grounded spring 120 and its resting contact for lamp L by way of spring 122 and its resting contact, and armature 129 and its working contact, whereby said lamp is lighted to give supervision. The called subscriber is rung, or busy tone is given to the calling subscriber by the connector switch (not shown) at the distant exchange in the well known manner. When the called party answers, the current is reversed in the polarized relay 105 by the connector, which relay thereupon energizes and extinguishes the lamp L to notify the operator that the called party has answered. The conversation may now take place.

Upon completion of the conversation the called party hangs up the receiver whereupon the current is again reversed allowing polarized relay 105 to fallback, and again close the circuit of supervisory lamp L while the calling subscriber upon hanging up causes polarized relay 103 to drop back and again close the circuit of the supervisory lamp L which lamps light over these circuits to give disconnect supervision. The taking down of the calling cord connection restores all the switches in the distant automatic oiiice in the well known manner, while the taking down of the answering cord connection releases relay 25 of the trunk circuit, which in turn releases relays 23 and 26, the latter removing ground from the release trunk conductor and allowing the switches ahead to restore, also in the well known manner.

An explanation will now be given of the operation to prevent the recording operators answering lamp from relighting in case the answering plug of the cord is pulled down before the calling subscriber has hung up. When the plug P is removed from the jack J, the relay 25 deenergizes whereupon the circuits of relays 23 and 26 are opened. Relay 23 upon deenergizing includes relay 24 in the subscribers loop circuit whereupon it energizes to return ground to relay 26 at armature 31 before this relay has had time to deenergize due to its slow action, thus maintaining the locking circuit for relay 28 and preventing the lamp L from lighting.

Returning now to the operation of the trunk circuit when the recording operator was first called, it will be assumed that the calling subscriber desires long distance or ordinary toll service. In this case, instead of the calling subscriber merely asking for the town desired, he will place the detailed order with the operator whereupon she will make out a ticket to properly record the call and send it to the toll operator who will proceed to'set up the connection over a service trunk and a toll connector in the well known manner, the recording operator in the meantime advising the calling subscriber that he will be called back when the connection is ready. If for any reason the recording operator desires to hold a trunk while looking up information for a subscriber she will depress the key K to the right which lights busy lamps at the other recording positions if there are any to indicate the held conditionv of the trunk.

I From the night switching key K it will be observed that when this key is operated calls are switched'to a night or light load position, the circuit for answering lamp L at the night position being traced the same as for answering lamp L at the recording position except it now continues from spring 53 and its working contact of key K at spring 52 and its resting contact of night busy key K and lamp L to battery. The operator at the night position has a headset O answering and holding key K and transfer key K the same as the operator at the recording position and which functions in identically the same manner. 7

If it is desired to render the trunk busy to incoming calls the key K will be operated, in addition to key K whereupon the release conductor 22 will be grounded by way of ground, working contact and spring 51 of key K spring 53 and its working contact of key K spring 52' and its working cont-act of key K and the trunk will be passed over by the selectors in their idle trunk hunting operations.

Having described the invention, what is considered to be new and desired to have protected by Letters Patent will be pointed out in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an automatic switching system for handling toll calls, a switchboard having a recording position and a toll position, sub

scriber control-led automatic switches for extending a calling line to said recording position, and means controlled by the recording operator for transferring said call to said toll position for express toll service, said means including a visual signal at the toll position for notifying the toll operator of the call.

2. In an automatic switching system for handling toll calls, a switchboard having a regular recording position, a night recording position and a toll position, operator controlled means for rendering either the regular or night recording position efiective to receive calls, subscriber controlled automatic switches for extending a calling line to said effective position, and operator controlled means for transferring said call to said toll position for express toll service.

3. In an automatic switching system for handling toll calls, a switchboard having a recording position and a toll position, subscriber controlled automatic switches for extending a calling line to said recording posi- 4 tion, operator controlled means for transferring said call to said toll position for express toll service, and automatic means responsive to the operator at the toll position answering for locking out the operator at the recording position and restoring said first named means.

4. In an automatic switching system for handling toll calls, a switchboard having a regular recording position, a night recording position, and a toll position, operator controlled means for rendering either the regular or night recording position effective to receive calls, automatic switches for extending a calling line to said effective position, operator controlled means for transferring said call to said toll position for express toll service, and automatic means responsive to the operator at the toll position answering for looking out the operator at the recording position.

5. In an automatic switching system for handling toll calls, a recording operators trunk circuit, subscriber controlled automatic switches for extending a calling line to said trunk circuit, means in said trunk circuit for furnishing talking battery to said line when said trunk circuit is usedfor recording service, a plugendingtoll operators cord circuit, means responsive to plugging said cord circuit into said trunk circuit for disconnecting said talking battery supply and means in said cord circuit for supplying talking battery when said trunk circuit is used for express toll service.

6. In an automatic switching system for handling toll calls, a switchboard having a recording position and a toll position, each position having a signal associated therewith, automatic switches for extending a calling line to said recording position thus causing said recording position signal to operate, operator controlled means for answering said call and automatically releasing said recording position signal, operator controlled means for transferring said call to said toll position thus causing said toll position signal to operate, a plug ending toll cord circuit for extending the calling line, means responsive to the plugging in of said cord circuit for releasing said toll position signal, and means for preventing the reoccurrence of said signal at the recording po sition when said toll plug is removed before the calling subscriber releases.

7. In a telephone system, a recordingswitchboard having a signal associated therewith, subscriber controlled means for extending a calling line to said recording switchboard which automatically operates said signal, a release relay for maintaining the established connections, operator controlled means for answering said call and automatically restoring said signal, a toll switchboard, operator controlled means for transferring said call from said recording switchboard to said toll switchboard, a plug ended cord circuit at said toll switchboard for answering said call, means for maintaining the release relay operated over the toll cord circuit, and means at said record ing switchboard, controlled by the release relay, for preventing the reoperation of said signal when the plug of the cord circuit is removed before the calling subscriber restores his receiver.

8. In an automatic switching system for handling toll calls, a switchboard having a recording position and a toll position, subscriber controlled automatic switches for extending a calling line to said recording position, means for thereupon operating a signal thereat, means controlled by the recording operator for operating a visual signal at the toll position for transferring said call to said toll position for express toll service, and means for preventing the reoperation of the signal upon the termination of the call at the toll position.

9. In an automatic switching system for handling toll calls, a switchboard having a regular recording position, a night recording position, and a toll position, operator controlled means for rendering either the regular or night recording position efi'ective to receive calls, subscriber controlled automatic switches for extending a calling line to said eiiective position, and operator controlled means individual to the trunk for transferring said call to said toll position for express toll service.

10. In a telephone system, a toll operators position and a recording operators position, a visual signal at each of the two positions, a trunk line extending to both positions, automatic switches for extending a subscribers line to said trunk line, and means for thereupon operating the signal at the recording operators position, an operators headset at the recording position, an operators key individual to the trunk for connecting the headset with the trunk, and means at the recording operators position for operating the signal at the toll operators positionto transfer the call.

11. In a telephone system a trunk, a recording operators position, a toll operators position, a signal and an operators headset ateach position, automatic switches for extending a subscribers line to said trunk, means for thereupon operating the signal at the recording operators position, a key individual to the trunk for connecting the recording operators headset to the trunk, means controlled by said key for restoring said signal, and means controlled by the recording operator to operate; the signal at the toll operators position to transfer the call.

12. In a telephone system, a trunk, a recording operators position, a toll operators position, a signal and an operators headset at each position, automatic switches for extending a subscribers line to said trunk, means for thereupon operating the signal at the recording operators position, a key for connecting the recording operators headset to the trunk, means controlled by said key for restoring the signal at the recording operators position, means controlled by the recording operator for operating the signal at the toll operators position, means controlled by the toll operator for extending the trunk to a called subscriber, and means for preventing the operation of the signal at the recording operators position when the toll operator releases the connection.

13. In a telephone system, a trunk, a recording operators position, a toll operators position, a signal and an operators headset at each position, subscriber controlled means for extending a subscribers line to said trunk,

means for thereupon operating the signalat the recording operators position, means for connecting the recording operators headset to the trunk, means in the trunk circuit for furnishing talking battery to the trunk,

means including a cord circuit for establishing connections between the toll operators headset and the trunk, means for disconnecting the battery supply, means, and means for supplying talking battery from the toll operators cord circuit,

14. In a telephone system, a trunk termi nating at a toll switchboard, a branch firom said trunk terminatingat a recording op erators switchboard, signals individual to said trunk at each of the switchboards, means responsive to the seizure of the trunk for op erating the signal at the recording switchboard to indicate the call, a key at the recording switchboard individual tosaid trunk, and means locked in position by the momentary operation of the key for operating the signal atuthe toll switchboard for indicating the ca 15. In a telephone system, a trunk terminating at a toll switchboard, a branch from said trunk terminating at a recording operators switchboard, signals individual to said trunk at each of the switchboards, means responsive to the seizure of the trunk for operating the signal at the recording switchboard to indicate the call, a key at the recording switchboard individual to said trunk, means locked in position by the momentary operation of the key for operating the signal at the toll switchboard for indicating the call, and means responsive to the answering or" the call at the toll switchboard for restoring said last named means, whereby the signal at the toll switchboard is restored and remains in its restored position upon the breaking down of the connection at the toll switchboard prior to the release of the trunk.

16. In a telephone system, a trunk line terminating at one end and at both a first and a second operators position, means at only the first of the two positions for completing a call, signalling means at each of the positions, means responsive to theinitiation of a call over the line for operating the signal at the second position, a key individual to the trunk line and located in the second position, means locked in position responsive to the momentary operation of the key during the existence of an incoming call for operating the signal at the first operators position and means for restoring said last named means responsive to the answering of the call at. the first operators position and for restoring;

said last named means responsive to the abandonment of the call if the call has not been previously answered.

17. In a telephone system wherein a trunk terminates at two operators positions and wherein an incoming call is received at one of the positions and completed at the other, a signal at the completing position, and a key at the receiving position, individual to the trunk, for operating the signal to indicate an incoming call.

18. In a telephone system wherein a trunk terminates at tWo operators positions and wherein an incoming call is received at one of the positions and completed at the other position, a signal at the call completing position, a key at the call receiving position, individual to the trunk, and means responsive to the momentary actuation of the key for continuously operating the signal to indicate an incoming call.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 8th day of August,'A. D. 1925.

ROY F. GOULD. 

